FC Dallas

Today is Digital Day across FC Dallas platforms as we get prepped for Saturday's season opener against San Jose. Come back here at 2:00PM(or maybe a couple minutes earlier) to join in our annual online chat with FC Dallas Head Coach Oscar Pareja! Everyone who asks a question in today's chat with Papi will be entered to win an FC Dallas team-signed scarf so be sure to stick around because we will pick a winner at the end!

FCD Week 2015 is kicked in to full gear as we can count the number of days to Saturday on just one hand!

For the second-straight year, Digital Day will take place on Tuesday of FCD Week, with player & technical staff chats throughout the day across FC Dallas digital properties as well as giveaways for you wonderful fans of ours.

On one side is the FC Dallas name and logo which we have proudly called our own for the last ten years as well as the brand new MLS crest and our exclusive 20-year patch celebrating two decades of MLS in Dallas.

On the other side is a nod to the past with the Dallas Burn name and logo as well as the former MLS logo. In nine years as the Dallas Burn, we launched MLS in North Texas, winning the 1997 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as making the playoffs in seven out of nine seasons with a squad led by our current head coach Oscar Pareja as well as club legend Bobby Rhine.

Show your pride for the last two decades of MLS soccer in DFW with our March Scarf of the Month.

FC Dallas is 2-2-1 in five preseason matches with last Friday's 3-1 win over DC United still fresh in everyone's mind. Here are three things to watch for on Saturday night and be sure to head to FCDallas.com tomorrow night at 7:00PM to catch all the action from San Antonio.

Barrios' first game

One of the really interesting aspects to Saturday's friendly will be a first chance to see new signing Michael Barrios in his first action with FCD. The speedy winger joined the team for his first practices this week and Oscar Pareja has said he expects him to play a part in Saturday's game.

The duo of Michael Barrios and Fabian Castillo would surely be the fastest pair of wingers in the league and we could see that speed unleashed for the first time on Saturday night.

Loyd back in the mix

Zach Loyd and Matt Hedges provided one of the best center back combinations in the league through the second half of the 2014 season, but the pair hasn't had a lot of time to work together in the 2015 preseason as Loyd has had to sit much of it out with a minor injury. Zach was back in training this week and could end up playing a part in Saturday's game. It's certainly something to watch as significant minutes for Loyd would certainly suggest he's 100% to go for next Saturday's season opener.

Last season, FC Dallas locked down the hypothetical Texas championship belt defeating the Houston Dynamo in MLS and LHUSOC play while drawing San Antonio in preseason and also defeating them in LHUSOC play. While Dallas didn't get a chance to play Austin Aztex in the preseason tournament, Saturday's game is a chance to win yet another game against Texan opposition. Which is always important. #KingsOfTexas

The thing that made this even more surreal was the whole scene playing out as FC Dallas held their final training session before departing for Saturday's last match of the preseason at the NASL's San Antonio Scorpions.

As the snow began to fall, those of us on the social media/digital team of course went outside to document things because snow + soccer is a social media dream. Little did we know, the snow would pick up to the point that practice had to be stopped early as Frisco turned into a late-winter wonderland. Here's the morning through snowcial media and some great pictures from our creative team.

The season is nearly upon us and Friday night at Toyota Stadium, you'll get your first chance to see FC Dallas live and in person as we face DC United in the penultimate preseason match before things get started in full against San Jose. The match kicks off at 7:30PM and general admission tickets are just $10 and available right here.

Here are a few things to watch for in Friday's preseason match:

Dress Rehearsal

At this point, head coach Oscar Pareja is probably very close to set on his opening day lineup and Friday's match will give us a huge clue as to which 11 players will be suiting up on March seventh. In Austin, Pareja played a basically full strength lineup for the first hour of the match and indicated after practice on Thursday that he would have the same strategy on Friday against DC.

Keep an eye out on who starts across the back line as well as who starts in goal. Also, that right midfield position is certainly open, and it will be interesting to see whether Tesho Akindele or Ryan Hollingshead gets the nod on Friday night.

Raging Rhino

Speaking of Ryan Hollingshead, he's certainly been one of the best performers in preseason so far, earning starts in both preseason matches in Austin while scoring two goals in the 3-1 victory over Columbus.

With the right midfield spot open for battle among players like Hollingshead, Akindele and Coy Craft, the second-year Hollingshead has earned some very important preseason minutes and upped his game big time.

The former PAC-12 Player of the Year is now in his second year as a pro and you should watch him closely on Friday night as his work rate and skill on the bar are among the best on the team. Could he be the breakout player of 2015?

Familiar Foe

FC Dallas and DC United are meeting for the second time in six days on Friday and while they are both just preseason games, familiarity should certainly bring about a nice competitive game. Sunday's matchup was a physical affair that saw plenty of fouls and midfield play with most of the chances falling to Fabian Castillo and FC Dallas.

If FCD can again limit the DC chances to solo efforts from Fabian Espindola and Chris Rolfe while getting the ball to the feet of Mauro Diaz and Fabian Castillo, Dallas should have plenty of opportunities to get the first home crowd of the season on their feet.

For the first time in 2015, we're opening the Toyota Stadium gates for some FC Dallas soccer on Friday night as we host D.C. United in a special preseason friendly and with all the new gear coming in, we thought "Why don't we have a yard sale?"

Come out to Toyota Stadium early on Friday for our FC Dallas Foundation gear sale inside the WinStar River Club. From 11AM-2PM on Friday and then at 6:30PM when gates open for our preseason match, we will be selling anything and everything you can think of.

We're talking everything from puffy jackets to t-shirts to soccer balls to autographed gear to old lightpole banners....as we said, pretty much anything and everything you can think of.

Stop by and see what we've got, all the proceeds go to the FC Dallas Foundation!

CLICK HERE for a special offer on tickets to Friday's preseason match + one of our first two MLS regular season matches.

The FC Dallas U-18s, who just returned from the Copa Chivas where they went 0-1-2 in a group against Chivas Guadalajara & Atlas of Liga MX plus Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, are currently 7-4-2 in the US Soccer Development Academy U-18 Frontier Division. Many U-18 players have been training with the FC Dallas first team through their MLS preseason schedule, and will head into Dallas Cup XXXVI with plenty of previous experience in the tournament.

"I think it’s good for the U-18’s," said head coach Francisco Molina. "It gives them something to look forward to. Right now in the standings we’re not doing great, there’s no excuses, but it’s an extra motivation for the boys to know that they’re going to be in the Super Group and represent the club and the Academy well."

"They are probably a half a step ahead of us just because of the culture," said Molina about playing international opponents. "We’re working very hard to get there, but they’re still a half a step ahead but I think the boys will be motivated and well prepared to represent the club."

FC Dallas joins Real Salt Lake and the LA Galaxy as MLS academies in the Super Group with international sides Everton FC(England), Valencia CF(Spain), Corinthians(Brazil), Coritiba(Brazil), Tigres(Mexico) and River Plate(Argentina) all confirmed as Gordon Jago Super Group participants.

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXVI begins on March 29th and runs through April 5th. Stay tuned to FCDallas.com for full coverage of the annual international tournament.

The FC Dallas U-16s traveled to Houston last weekend for the final round of qualifying in the 2014-2015 Generation adidas Cup with matches against the Colorado Rapids, Chicago Fire and Sporting KC to decide who would advance to the International Division Championship bracket of the annual tournament.

FC Dallas won all three matches, defeating the Colorado Rapids 3-1 behind goals from Gio Montesdeoca, Eddie Munjoma, Weston McKinnie and an own goal.

They followed that up with a 1-0 win over Chicago Fire on Saturday through a Brandon Terwege goal that clinched qualification into the International Division and then defeated Sporting KC 1-0 through another Montesdeoca on Monday in very difficult weather conditions to clinch the #1 seed in the group.

Since the GA Cup is a U-17 tournament, the FC Dallas team is a combination of U-16 & U-18 players, and they went 4-0-1 in qualifying matches allowing just two goals in the five games. They will play for the GA Cup Championship right here at the Toyota Soccer Center in early April.

FC Dallas U-15's & U-13's sweep Houston Dynamo

The FCD U-15 & U-13 teams were also in Houston this weekend for TPAL league play against the Dynamo.

The U-15s moved to an astounding 10-0-1 in league play defeating Houston 4-0 behind goals from Jommar Reyes, Carlitos Garcia, Paxton Pomykal and Mandel Steward.

The U-13s also defeated the Dynamo 3-2 with goals coming from Luis Pacheco, Roel Pena and Dante Sealy. The U-13s are 7-1-3 on the year and lead their division by five points.

Both teams will host Texas Rush at the Toyota Soccer Center this Saturday at 12PM and 2PM.